Alabama News

By evening, Alabama surfaced
for a rare Southern California appearance. One of the most successful
and lauded bands in country music history, they went on a farewell tour
early last decade but reunited a few years later for sporadic benefit
shows down south. More recently, Alabama put out a pair of inspirational
albums and guested on tracks by Friday’s headliner Jason Aldean and Sunday’s closer Brad Paisley.

In Indio, the core trio of singer/guitarist Randy Owen,
guitarist/fiddler Jeff Cook and bassist Teddy Gentry were joined by five
auxiliary musicians. Together they made a full-bodied sound and still
managed to reach the classic harmonies of yore, although at times their
sound came across wavering and muted, hampered by persistent winds.

During the ’70s and ’80s, Alabama scored dozens of No.1 country
singles and a handful of pop chart crossovers. For those who grew up in
those decades, the music is probably ingrained in their minds, whether
they realize it or not. But the crowd in my vicinity were more concerned
with chatting than actually listening to the music – another difference
from Coachella.

Owen said they came more than 2,000 miles to party with everyone and
launched the set with “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a
Fiddler).” Steve Peffer’s spirited honky-tonk piano led off “Tennessee
River,” which quickly increased in tempo via Cook’s feisty fiddle work.
Many young people suddenly paid attention when Peffer did some
barrelhouse playing on a fine medley of “Dixieland Delight/Will the
Circle Be Unbroken.”

Before “Song of the South,” Owen related an anecdote about old family
squabbles over the best vehicles; when he mentioned Chevy pickups,
there were loud cheers. Then, before “High Cotton,” the singer pointed
out how he once picked that material, and was indeed wearing it.

Longtime enthusiasts were treated to one rousing hit after another:
“Love in the First Degree,” the warmly romantic “Feels So Right,” mildly
rocking “She & I,” “The Closer You Get.” Owen had no problem on the
sustained vocal note in the Allman Brothers-esque “My Home’s in
Alabama.” Finally they closed with the stomping hoedown of “Mountain
Music,” where the steadily increasing tempo and Cook’s fine fiddle work
were handled with ease.

Headliner Aldean turned in a consistently rocking country set that
found more favor with younger members in the audience. Booming drums and
blaring guitars were at the crux of “Johnny Cash,” and the first major
singalong came with “Big Green Tractor.” A glitch in clear projections
on the big screens, however, made things difficult for those watching
from afar.

“My favorite band in the world just played,” said Aldean, referencing Alabama.